Hello Conch-Lers,
                        I recently bought an old collection and many of the
shells were varnished. I have tried any number of ways to take it off and
have met with limited success. Proprietary varnish remover (intended for
furniture, etc) will get it off but goes very gloopy, especially when you
wash it off. This is a nightmare with shells which have detailed sculpture
and/or fine spines. It also requires scrubbing to attack the varnish which
is difficult with fragile or unusually shaped shells. Does anybody have an
easier method I could use? Is there a chemical I could just soak it off in?
The lining of my nose and throat would be very grateful.
                        Simon Taylor (looking forward to the British Shell
Collectors Show this weekend), Essex, England
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